The PGA Tour has cancelled its season-opening match, The Sentry, after drought and water conservation points on the Hawaiian island of Maui, and failing to search out another venue.
The Sony Open in Honolulu would be the first match of 2026, happening from January 15-18, the newest begin to a season for the reason that PGA Tour was shaped in 1969.
The Plantation course in Kapalua has hosted the PGA Tour since 1999, however has been compelled to shut two of its programs as a result of extreme water restrictions stemming from a dispute with the corporate accountable for a century-old water supply system.
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The tour mentioned in a press release, “After assessing alternate venues in Hawaii and beyond, the tour determined it would not be able to contest The Sentry in 2026 because of logistical challenges – including shipping deadlines, tournament infrastructure and vendor support.”
Stephanie Smith, the chief advertising and marketing and model officer at Sentry, added, “I’m actually happy with what The Sentry has grow to be. I did not need 2026 to be any much less.
“We did not need it to be simply, ‘Discover a place for it within the schedule,’ or ‘Discover a course for it that would host it.’
“I wished Sentry to stay the jewel that it’s. I wished it to be particular. When that could not come collectively, I felt we did not have a selection.
“This is not the outcome we wanted, but unfortunately, it’s where we are.”
It’s the first time a match has been cancelled for the reason that Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
The Sentry has been the primary PGA Tour occasion yearly since 1999, besides in 2001, when the season started in Australia with a World Golf Championship.
Smith mentioned the tour stays “committed” to enjoying The Sentry once more, however mentioned there are numerous components at play and it’s troublesome to offer a definitive reply about the way forward for the course.
In 2025, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama completed with a PGA Tour 72-hole file of 35 beneath par to win The Sentry in Hawaii by three strokes from America’s Collin Morikawa.
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